Furniture with integrated storage for water or other material

ABSTRACT

Furniture pieces which include integrated storage capacity for storing water or other material. By incorporating such storage capacity within furniture, a user may take advantage of space that would otherwise be unused or unusable to unobtrusively and conveniently store an emergency water supply or other desired material.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a divisional of copending U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 13/268,083, which was filed on Oct. 7, 2011, byTonia Walstad Miller for a FURNITURE WITH INTEGRATED STORAGE FOR WATEROR OTHER MATERIAL and is hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to furniture and, morespecifically, to furniture which is capable of storing water or othermaterial within its structure.

2. Background Information

In preparation for possible emergency situations such as naturaldisasters, power outages and the like, public safety agencies oftenrecommend that residents keep a supply of potable water stored in areadily accessible location. In an emergency in which a loss of power orcontamination renders the normal water supply (municipal or private)unusable, residents who have made such preparations will have sufficientdrinking water to sustain them for at least a brief time.

One problem that often arises in connection with creating an emergencywater supply of sufficient capacity is inadequate storage space. Forexample, FEMA recommends storing at least a three-day emergency watersupply which includes at least one gallon of water per person per dayjust for drinking. Following that recommendation with some additionalallowance for unforeseen needs, a family of four persons would need tostore at least 15 gallons of water. Further, the same family of fourwould need to store on the order of 35 gallons of water (e.g., 7five-gallon containers) to be prepared for an emergency lasting aboutone week. Thus, storage of a reasonable emergency water supply for evena few people quickly translates into significant storage space. Inaddition, while it is desirable to store an emergency water supply suchthat is readily accessible, most people will also want to avoid movingheavy containers of water frequently or at all. Also, in order to avoiddetracting from the atmosphere and decor of their homes, most peoplewill prefer that their emergency water supplies be stored in a way thatis inconspicuous and aesthetically acceptable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In brief summary, the present invention provides a variety of furniturepieces in which water or other material may be stored. The furniturepieces include tables and chairs having hollow, load-bearing bases orframes which are liquid tight and provide integrated storage capacityfor water or other material. The bases or frames may be configured forfilling from the top or bottom with access provided for drawing water orother material out. The furniture pieces also include a table in whichwater or other material may be stored in a bladder or other structurewhich is suspended beneath the tabletop. The furniture pieces furtherinclude a lamp having a liquid tight globe and a base which bothsupports and illuminates the globe.

In some embodiments of the present invention, in order to fill or drawwater or other material, a user may simply remove a tabletop, chair seator other structure and thereby gain access to a port. In alternativeembodiments, a pump assembly may be used with the port.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention description below refers to the accompanying drawings, ofwhich:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a bench-type chair having a hollow framewhich provides integrated storage capacity for water or other material;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a lounge-type chair having a hollowframe which provides integrated storage capacity for water or othermaterial;

FIG. 3A is a perspective view of the lamp globe in FIG. 3 showing a portfor filling and drawing;

FIG. 3B is cross-section of the lamp base in FIG. 3 showing anillumination element inside the base;

FIGS. 4A and 4B are perspective and top plan views, respectively, of atable having a hollow base which provides integrated storage capacityfor water or other material;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a pedestal-type chair whose seatstructure is hollow and provides integrated storage capacity for wateror other material;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a footed chair whose seat structure ishollow and provides integrated storage capacity for water or othermaterial;

FIGS. 7A-7F are perspective views of end tables having hollow supportstructures which provide integrated storage capacity for water or othermaterial;

FIG. 8A is a perspective view of a table having a removable top and ahollow pedestal-type base which provides integrated storage capacity forwater or other material;

FIG. 8B is a cross section of the table of FIG. 8A with a pump installedfor drawing water or other material from the base;

FIGS. 9A and 9B are side views of a pedestal-type chair whose seatstructure and pedestal are hollow and provide integrated storagecapacity for water or other material;

FIG. 10A is a perspective view of a table having integrated storagecapacity for water or other material;

FIG. 10B is a side elevation of the table shown in FIG. 10A;

FIG. 10C is an enlarged side elevation of a valve shown in FIG. 10B;

FIG. 11A is a side elevation of a chair having integrated storagecapacity for water or other material;

FIG. 11B is a top plan view of the chair shown in FIG. 11A with its seatcushion removed; and

FIGS. 12A and 12B are side elevations of a sculpture having integratedstorage capacity for water or other material.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows a bench-type chair 100 having a seat 102 supported by apedestal 104, and a cushion 106. Seat 102 or pedestal 104 or both arepreferably substantially hollow and constructed of one or more materialsthat provide suitable load-bearing strength, are liquid-tight and safefor storing water or other material that is intended for humanconsumption. Such materials include a wide variety of commerciallyavailable plastics which may also serve as the finish surface of chair100 or may be covered with wood veneer, cloth or other material fordecorative purposes.

Access for filling chair 100 with water or other material, as well asdrawing from the chair, may be provided in a variety of ways. Forexample, a user access port having a simple screw cap, stopper or otherclosing mechanism (not shown) may be located at an advantageous positionon seat 102. Depending upon the location of the port and weight of chair100, a user may be able to pour from the port, either by gravity or bytipping the chair, or alternatively may insert a hose (not shown) andsiphon from the port. A pump like the one described below in connectionwith FIG. 8B may be also used to draw water or other liquid from such aport in chair 100. Depending upon the overall dimensions of chair 100and with consideration to the weight of the chair when it is filled withwater or other material, chair 100 provides integrated capacity forstoring on the order of at least several gallons of water if not more.

FIG. 2 shows a lounge-type chair 200 having a cushion 204 disposed on aseat 202 supported by legs 206. Seat 202 is preferably substantiallyhollow and constructed in manner like that described above. Access forfilling or drawing from the integrated storage capacity provided bychair 200 may be provided in a manner similar to that described above.

FIG. 3A shows globe 302 removed from base 304. A neck 301 has a stopper303 and provides a port on for filling or drawing from globe 302. FIG.3B shows base 304 in cross-section. An illumination element 305 isdisposed around a recess 306 which is shaped to hold neck 301.

FIGS. 4A and 4B show a table 400 having a removable top 402 and apedestal 404. Pedestal 404 is preferably substantially hollow andconstructed in manner like that described above. Access for fillingtable 400 or drawing from the table may be provided in a manner similarto that described above.

FIG. 5 shows a chair 500 having a seat 502 supported by a pedestal 504.Seat 502 or pedestal 504 or both are preferably substantially hollow andconstructed in a manner, including user access for filling and drawing,similar to that described above.

FIG. 6 shows a chair 600 having a seat 602 supported by legs 604, and aback 606. Some or all of seat 602, legs 604 and back 606 may besubstantially hollow and constructed in a manner, including user accessfor filling and drawing, similar to that described above.

FIGS. 7A-7F show a series of end tables having hollow bases whichprovide integrated storage capacity for water or other material. An endtable 700 has a top 702, which may include one or more drawers 706,which is supported by a base 704. Base 704 is preferably substantiallyhollow and liquid-tight. Bases 706, 708 and 710 provide a variety ofgeometries as well as varying storage capacities. As shown in FIGS. 7 eand 7F, access for filling or drawing from bases 704-710, as well asbases 712 and 714, may be gained by simply removing top 702 andaccessing a port 716. An optional wheeled base 718 may be used inconjunction with any of bases 704-714.

FIGS. 8A and 8B show a table 800 having a removable top 802, a bearingsurface 804 on which top 802 normally rests, a pedestal 806, a port 808,a removable pump assembly 810 and a base 812. Pedestal 806 is preferablysubstantially hollow and constructed in a manner similar to thatdescribed above to provide integrated storage capacity for water orother material. Port 808, which may be constructed in a manner similarto that described above, provides access for filling pedestal 806 andfor installing removable pump assembly 810.

In an alternative embodiment, port 808 may be located on the bottomsurface of base 812. In such an embodiment, it would be necessary toinvert the table to gain access to either fill or draw from thepedestal. However, top 802 would no longer need to be removable.

FIGS. 9A and 9B show a chair 900 having a removable seat 902, a pedestal904, a base 906 and a back 908. When seat 902 is removed, a user wouldgain access to port (not shown) like port 808 in order to fill or drawfrom pedestal 904 which is preferably substantially hollow. A removablepump assembly like assembly 810 may be used to draw from pedestal 904.

FIGS. 10A and 10B show a table 1000 having integrated storage capacityfor water or other material. Table frame 1002 supports a top 1004 aswell as a storage volume 1006 which is disposed beneath top 1004 andattached to frame 1002 or top 1004 or both. Access for filling ordrawing from storage volume 1006 is provided by a port 1008 located nearone corner of top 1004 but which may be located elsewhere forconvenience. Additional access for filling or drawing from storagevolume 1006 is provided by a valve 1010 which is preferably located ator near the lowest point of storage volume 1006. Valve 1010 may beimplemented with any of a variety of structures including a screw cap,snap cap, push button valve and the like.

Storage volume 1006 may be constructed in a variety of ways including abladder, a saucer, an inverted pyramid or other structure each of whichis substantially hollow and liquid-tight. Storage volume 1006 may beshaped and dimensioned such that even when full it is substantiallyhidden when viewing table 1000 from above as shown in FIG. 10A.

FIGS. 11A and 11B show a chair 1100 having integrated storage capacityfor water or other material. Chair 1100 has a back 1102, legs 1104, aremovable seat cushion 1106 and a storage volume 1108 disposed beneathseat surface 1112. Storage volume 1108 is preferably constructed in amanner similar to that described above with respect to storage volume1006. When seat cushion 1106 is removed, access for filling or drawingfrom storage volume 1108 is provided by way of a port 1110.

FIGS. 12A and 12B show a sculpture 1200 having integrated storagecapacity for water or other material. Sculpture 1200 is preferablysubstantially hollow, liquid-tight and constructed of a material that issafe for storing water or other material that is intended for humanconsumption. A port (not shown) for filling and drawing may be locatedon a bottom surface of a base 1202.

The hollow structures and storage volumes described above may also beadapted to include a mechanism for automatically releasing a purifyingchemical or a mechanism to provide a visual reminder to a user toreplenish a purifying chemical or take other action. As an alternativeto storing water, the hollow structures and storage volumes describedabove may be used to store other liquids, powders, grains or otherobjects.

What is claimed is: 1-7. (canceled)
 8. A table having integrated storagecapacity comprising: a removable top; and a substantially hollowliquid-tight base which supports said removable top and providesintegrated storage capacity for storing a supply of water or othermaterial that is intended for human consumption, said pedestal includinga port for filling and drawing.
 9. The table as in claim 8 wherein saidbase comprises a pedestal.
 10. The table as in claim 8 furthercomprising a pump assembly operable to draw from said port.
 11. Thetable as in claim 8 wherein said port is accessible by removing said topfrom said base.
 12. The table as in claim 8 wherein said port isaccessible by inverting said base.
 13. A table having integrated storagecapacity comprising: a frame; a top supported by said frame and having aport; and a liquid-tight storage volume disposed beneath said top andconfigured for filling and drawing by way of said port, said storagevolume providing integrated storage capacity for storing a supply ofwater or other material that is intended for human consumption.
 14. Thetable as in claim 13 wherein said storage volume includes a valve forfilling or drawing.
 15. The table as in claim 13 wherein said storagevolume comprises a bladder.
 16. The table as in claim 13 wherein saidstorage volume comprises a saucer-shaped structure. 17-20. (canceled)